Who Are the Best Team GB Medal Hopes at the Paris Olympics?
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games officially started on Friday 26th July. Team GB has sent a team of 327 athletes, competing across 26 sports, in the hope of landing medals.
The British Olympic Association has set a target of between 50 and 70 medals in total for this event. Given that Team GB has landed 65 medals (2012), 67 (2016), and 65 (2020) at each event since the 2012 Olympic Games in London, this seems an achievable target.
So, who are the athletes who could be set to bring home gold, silver, or bronze for Team GB in Paris over the next couple of weeks?
Let’s take a closer look at some genuine medal prospects to find out.
Team GB Stars Going for Gold?
- Keely Hodgkinson (Women’s 800m)
World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist in 2020, Keely Hodgkinson is a big favourite in the women’s 800m. With Olympic Champion Athing Mu absent, the talented Hodgkinson may well be Team GB’s best chance of a gold medal on the track.
- Molly Caudery (Women’s Pole Vault)
One of the more surprising gold medal prospects is Molly Caudery. The 24-year-old has vaulted higher than any other competitor this year and won the World Indoors back in March. If she can translate that into a similar performance in Paris a gold medal is possible.
- Adam Peaty (Men’s 100m Breaststroke)
Two-time gold medal winner in this event, Adam Peaty has suffered in the three years since winning in Tokyo. However, he has battled back to form and qualified for the event in which he holds the current Olympic title. His battle with China’s Qin Haiyang will decide the gold medal.
- Alex Yee (Men’s Triathlon & Mixed Relay)
Alex Yee landed a silver in the men’s Triathlon in Tokyo and a gold in the mixed relay event. He could go one better than that this year. Yee is one of the big favourites in the men’s event and should also stand a great chance of gold in the mixed relay too.
- Max Whitlock (Men’s Pommel Horse)
With injuries ruling out several talented British female gymnastics, it may be Max Whitlock on the pommel horse who has the best chance of another gold. The two-time Olympic Champion is competing in his last Olympics and looks a good chance for gold in this discipline.
Hoping To Bag A Medal
Team GB also has strong hopes of a medal in the following track and field events too:
- Women’s 200m (Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita)
- Men’s 400m (Charlie Dobson & Matt Hudson-Smith)
- Women’s 800m (Phoebe Gill, Jemma Reekie)
- Men’s 800m (Jake Wightman)
- Men’s 1500m (Josh Kerr)
- Women’s 1500m (Laura Muir)
- Women’s 4x100m Relay
- Men’s 4x400m Relay
- Women’s Heptathlon (Katarina Johnson-Thompson)
- Women’s Pole Vault (Holly Bradshaw)
In addition, Team GB hopes to win several medals in other disciplines, including Cycling, Rowing, Boxing, Gymnastics, Swimming, and Triathlon.
Team GB is particularly strong in the cycling, rowing, triathlon, and gymnastics events heading into the games, which could offer fans a few more medals than expected.
Aside from the 1908 games in London, where Team GB earned 146 medals, their best total was 67 in Rio 2016 and the most gold medals were 29 in London 2012.
It will be interesting to see how close Team GB goes in Paris to matching or eclipsing these totals.
